While it would seem awkward for an editor-in-chief of a newspaper writing his first editorial to encourage the use of another news resource, I would like to encourage the student body here at the Colleges to listen to the radio. I don’t mean just blaring pop music while commuting back and forth across the metropolis, but take some time to sit a spell and really listen. There are two reasons for this.

One, more and more there is a general skepticism about the television and even newspaper in both the general public and academia, claiming that news stories have been reduced to frightening sound bites or glossed over pseudo explanations of events. However, National Public Radio's daily news programs provide in depth exploration, reporting, and commentary on the issue, steering away from the typically sensationalist media circus of contemporary news coverage. A distinct effort is made to be politically balanced, allowing listeners of all political persuasions engage in the thoughtful examination of contemporary events.

The second reason to listen is that there is a certain pleasure that can be derived from listening to the radio- peace and quiet. Sitting in a comfortable chair and enjoying a radio program, be it music or news, has an immensely calming effect combined with a genteel atmosphere often enjoyed long ago by our grandparents. Without a dazzling array of visual images to numb the mind, the radio can foster good discussion amongst friends, provide a respite from a busy day, or provide a musical background to a gathering of any size. So go out there, explore the radio, find that hidden broadcasting gem amongst the rough in the contemporary media frenzy.